Confusion Is Nothing New
by Sachi Hanako
Summary: There are some things in life that just come with being in High School, some that just come with Being Vladimir Tod. How much is too much? Rated T for safety in future chapters. Vlad-x-?


**Hey guys, it's been a while, right? I'm not dead. I've just had a lot to do. And for any of your **_**Camp Rock**_** fans who were hoping for a **_**Camp Rock**_** story update, I'm terribly sorry. I've had this idea in my head since I first began reading this series and I just have to write it before I lose it all. I hope you all forgive me. In the mean time, if you guys have been looking for any good book series, I would totally recommend the **_**Vladimir Tod**_** series. They aren't real heavy and they won't hurt your eyes. They aren't too overly serious either, though they have a good flowing plot. I recommend reading both the first two books (**_**Eighth Grade Bites**_** and **_**Ninth Grade Slays**_**) before trying to understand this story. The third book, **_**Tenth Grade Bleeds **_**will be out soon.**

**Anyway, thank you so much for any of my loyal readers or people who click on the fanfiction link because they got an author alert from a struggling Freshman named BlobFish who they author alerted for a **_**Camp Rock**_** story once upon a time. And by the way…is it just me…or is Meredith really annoying? I don't like her very much. **

**And by the way, so I don't confuse anybody, this is going to start during the summer after **_**Ninth Grade Slays, **_**because I want the biggest time slot I can have. And if by any chance somebody is reading this after **_**Tenth Grade Bleeds, **_**that's why the plot may be so different. I dunno. It isn't coming out until later this month. Enough babbling.**

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_**Confusion Is Nothing New  
**__Chapter One  
_**Dream**

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_ "I don't know. I just…I guess it didn't feel right. And as mean as this may or may not sound, I'm scared of her actually calling me. It was too weird, dude. Too weird," Harry rambled while playing a new video game, some unnamed copy his uncle gave him, (Against his mother's consent, of course.) which was claimed to be the goriest game not yet in stores.  
The room reeked of pizza, the warm kind with cheese falling of the edges. Henry already finished with his half, and Vlad's half completely scraped of everything on top (which he gave to Henry) and covered in the most delicious red substance known to him, and it was not pizza sauce.  
"Mhhm," Vlad just mumbled, trying to ignore the topic of the Freedom Fest.  
But Vlad knew, no matter how much he was sensitive to the topic or wanted to avoid it, Henry would say something anyway, just to push his buttons.  
"So how was _your_ night?" Henry winked.  
Of course.  
"How do I put this…" Vlad said, weaving his eyebrows together in thought.  
First, he accidentally poured punch all over Meredith's dress, out of pure nervousness. She let it pass with little chagrin. Next, he stepped on her toe during a dance, causing them to fall way behind in step, and her to be in pain. She let that slide, too. Barely. When at the end of the night, Vlad tried to apologize, she seemed sweet and totally forgiving. Vlad tried to kiss her, but obviously being the more nervous one, he started talking-babbling actually-causing her to get frustrated. Vlad didn't try to make any amends when she decided to go home. So much for making her happy to go with him.  
"Fine," Vlad lied. Henry's eyes narrowed, showing clearly that he did not believe his friend.  
"How bad was it, in reality?" Henry asked suspiciously.  
"Is it bad if your date leaves before half of the four year olds in town are assigned their bedtime?" Vlad asked, trying to lighten the subject.  
Henry just shook his head in hopelessness.  
"My poor Vlad," he said in a teasing voice.  
Vlad blew up Henry's last defensive monster in response, causing its distorted figure made of metal and once-human remains, to explode gruesomely. Henry's mouth opened in shock. He then realized something. If Vlad was upset, he had a chance of losing. He did not bring up the subject again, in hopes of saving what was left of his almost lost game.

"I'm home," Nelly called as she came in through the door.  
She had a bag of what looked like groceries. Mostly microwaveable meals. Then she had a canvas bag with the hospital logo on it and Vlad knew exactly what was in such a bag. _His _meals.  
"What's up Nell-ay?" Henry said playfully.  
"Nothing more than the usual," She replied with a crinkled smile. She turned to Vlad who came in closely after. "Are you hungry?" She said politely. Vlad shook his head but gave a brief smile to show appreciation. Nelly shrugged and took too large bags full with smaller bags to the garage fridge. Henry looked at Vlad suspiciously.  
"What is with that attitude?" Henry scolded. "You weren't the only one who had a bad night at the dance."  
"Easy for you to say," Vlad scoffed. "There will be other girls for you, without a doubt. Meredith was the first and only girl to show some kind of interest in me."  
Henry twitched at his friend's sulky attitude. "That may be, but think about it, dude. We're only sophomores now. Girls can't completely avoid you, at least not in college. Bathory is a small town." He pat his friend on the back with the intention of cheering his friend up. Vlad just rolled his eyes. Nelly walked back in soon, crinkly smile still intact. She looked pleased at something, which left Henry and Vlad confused.  
"Do you boys have any plans for tomorrow afternoon?" Nelly said in a sugary voice.  
Henry and Vlad looked at each other. Vlad decided to reply. "Not that we know of. Why?"  
"Well, today while I was talking to Angela, the young lady who is a room nurse to one of my patients, she brought up the opening of that new theme park, the one a little bit south of the interstate-"  
"You mean the one they've been building for pretty much the past 5 years?" Henry cut off, before laughing. "I hear it's supposed to be great, but too expensive for a high school salary."  
"Exactly the one." Nelly continued. "Anyway. She was supposed to go to the opening, which is tomorrow, with her boyfriend. But he got sick recently with whatever that one strange new virus is that is running around. There was no way she could drag him around, and she didn't want to waste her ticket, or go without him. She asked me if I knew anybody who would want to go, and I told her about you guys and she was more than happy to give me her two tickets. She knew they'd obviously be put to good use."  
"No way!" Henry shouted. Vlad looked shocked. "For real? We get to go?!"  
"I do have my conditions, boys." Nelly said in her motherly tone.  
Henry's enthusiasm didn't diminish. "Sure, whatever you say Nelly," he said quickly. He was obviously too excited to sit back down in his seat. Vlad hovered above his.  
"Curfew is an obvious one," she said nodding. "And I don't expect an on the line escape either, considering that Henry will have to be home as well." The boys both nodded, like obedient dogs. "I also want you boys to come by the hospital sometime soon too to personally thank Angela for the tickets. It's sad what happened, why she couldn't use the tickets in the first place." Nelly shook her head and sighed as the boys realized it was the least they could do. "And finally…As anybody would say, be safe at the park, okay? Go on whatever puke-inducing rides you want, but be considerate and throw up in trash cans, and carry the park map with you. And plus, I'm not paying for anything you guys want there, so you guys will have to gather up as much money as you can for lunch, or any other overly priced things they might try and sell you. Deal?" The boys both nodded and then looked at each other and grinned with excitement. "Vlad, I'll give you too large thermos for you to bring." Vlad's grinned didn't move as he nodded. Nelly reached into her jacket that was hanging over a dining room chair and pulled out too green rectangles with writing on them. Henry took them immediately and handed Vlad his. They stared in awe.  
"Wait…" Vlad paused. "These say 'Water park included.' at the bottom." Vlad looked up at Nelly and Henry's shocked faces. "We get access to the water park, too?!" Nelly just shrugged. She then said something under her breath, something along the lines "Bless her heart.." but the boys couldn't tell. They were already mentally planning their day, Freedom Fest agony forgotten.

--

_It was a weird dream. Or…nightmare?  
It was the streets, the ones near the interstate, yeah. It was obviously night. There were few street lamps, and tons of old, run down buildings which probably had businesses lurking in them once upon a depression. Most of them looked broken into, or just the business decided it wasn't worth it. A few cars passed by. One blue, one black. I was walking, where? I could see a familiar car at the gas station, the only large light source there was. The glowing sign signifying the store of open, not very far up in the air, and the fluorescents beaming on the inside. The sign on the pole signified that there was a sale on beef jerky, buy a package, and get one free. Odd.  
I was walking away from the car and the gas station, but why? I had no idea where I was, I felt the need to ask directions. I thought I should approach the car, maybe it would help me. There was no stranger in it, obviously. I knew this car…but yet I was walking away. I kept telling myself to turn around, but it didn't help. Another part of me which I couldn't control was telling me there was danger.  
Danger? What danger could be lurking at an innocent gas station like this one? One that has a buy one get one deal on beef jerky. It all seemed so familiar, yet I knew I had never been here. It was different. I then realized, Henry.  
Where was he? Was he supposed to be here? He should. Nelly would never let me out on these streets alone at night. It just made me feel more lost. I kept walking away, the light of the gas station farther. Another car was coming down the road. Maybe it would help me. I tried waving to it, but I couldn't lift my arm. The headlights were off though it was so late. I tried squinting, but I couldn't see the driver. Weird, I had never seen front windows that were tinted before. It came close and I could see.  
There was no driver. Huh…weird how that worked out. I know that should scare me, why didn't it? I kept walking anyway. I decided to let myself lead, as weird as that sounds. Then I stopped.  
It was dark, but there was a street lamp now, and I was directly under it. A four-way street seemed to appear out of nowhere. When did that get there? Myself tried to tell me it had always been there. I wouldn't be fooled so easily. I could see a girl across the street, on the other corner. She was bent over, crying. I felt sympathy towards her. Well, in my own mind. My dream mind was telling me she didn't matter, she was just a block on the direction I was going. It tried to convince me that she was the danger it forewarned me to. She was in our way, and now we couldn't go.  
Where was I going? My dream self laughed at me, like it was frightfully obvious where I was going. I just stood under this lamp, surrounded by nothing. I saw the girl across the street and another wave of sympathy crossed over me. I couldn't tell how old she was. I could just hear her sobs, like they came from all four streets. It was hard to miss. Her wavy brown hair was wet, and for the first time I noticed it was raining. I took a glance back at the gas station. The lights there were still on, the car unmoving. The beef jerky sale was still going on. Then I glanced back at the girl. I began to cross the street, aware there were no cars.  
"Excuse me?" I had said. The voice was mine, but it had a weird tone to it. The girl cut off her sobbing instantly. "Is something wrong?" my caring side suggested. I then saw the girl stand up; she was only a few inches shorter than me. She didn't look at me but only the street directly head and below her. Her eyes looked empty…lost. A bottomless pit. She had tear stains down her cheeks. She had the face of a child, yet somehow fitting. She was completely silent, and she looked up, tears still formed in her eyes, directly in front of her. I looked too, and she was staring at the store. At the nice car that was parked there and the sign that glowed. I then saw her move from the corner of my eye. She had wiped her eyes, and began walking, silently and slowly across the street which now seemed wider than it did before. I just watched her, unmoving. I then heard something. An engine? Ah yes. A car engine. Seemingly harmless. The girl stopped in the middle of the street. A slight breeze blew her hair to the side; her sobs could almost be heard in the breeze. I then pieced most of it together.  
"Hey!" I shouted in her direction. She didn't move. "I think there is a car coming, you shouldn't stand in the middle of the street, you know." Still no movement. I began to get frustrated. "I hear being hit by a car is a painful way to go, but if that's what you want…" I shouted. I regret the words as soon as I said them. It didn't matter; she didn't seem to care about what I said either way. I then saw out of the corner of my eye, the car that was lacking a driver that passed me by earlier. It was coming down the street the girl was in. She didn't notice. She didn't seem to really care either. I knew whatever I chose to do would be stupid either way…  
"Hey! I shouted, as I ran up to the girl and was in front of her. I grabbed her shoulders, as if that would help reason her. "There is a car coming!" I shouted. Maybe she was deaf; this fact was unknown to me. Why didn't I move? Oh right, because dream or not, I'm an idiot and I'll do idiotic things for others. Figures. I turned, and the headlights were on this time, and it shined on us both. The car made no effort to stop. I turned to the girl, still out of it, and grabbed her protectively, and ran with her to the corner of the street, under the street lamp, as the car whooshed past.  
She looked at me, directing her empty eyes right at me. I felt pain. Pain I have felt before, but I don't know why. What had this girl suffered that I had as well? She didn't make any effort to unlatch from me. I don't remember doing such a thing, I just grabbed her. She still gazed at me, unblinking. She held on to me, the waves of panic and worry she didn't dare bother to speak or even acknowledge sinking onto me, and it wasn't from the recent fact that we were almost road kill. Her arms were laced around me, her heroic savior.  
She then turned, right towards the gas station. She gazed straight at the car. She finally unlatched herself and stood up with me, this unknown girl. I wanted to ask her if she was maybe insane, but taking a quick look at me I decided not. She was intrigued by this car. Maybe she was a child after all, like being attracted to a shiny new car. A child the size of a young girl. I then noticed she still had a grip on my arm, and I felt like it was supposed to be there, though at the same time it wasn't. My dream mind was telling me it wasn't, but somehow, I ceased to listen. My reflexes put my arm around this odd girl in a protective way, and seeming as she didn't mind, I began to lead her to the gas station, where she was supposed to go. The car door cracked a bit and we both stopped. I took a notion that it wasn't safe, that we shouldn't go any farther, but then the girl began moving. She turned to take me with her, latched onto my sleeve. I hesitated, but slowly followed her.  
Her eyes had brightened. Whatever she was planning on doing, whoever was in that car, it made her very anxious and happier. The door to the car opened fully, but nobody was seen. The girl got even more excited and demanded I hurry, without words. I didn't want to ruin her excitement, so I followed as well. We then stopped at the end of the sidewalk, where it molded into the paved way to the gas station. I looked over to the girl, or where the girl was supposed to be. She wasn't there. I panicked. I felt guilty and saddened, at the same time. Where had the girl gone? I turned back to the car and saw the girl, excited. She wasn't far from it. I felt the urging need to go after her so I did. She turned to me and I heard a soft voice, though her lips didn't move. "It's okay. He kept his promise! They're here! They're really here! Aren't you excited?" The voice was blended with another voice I couldn't recognize. Then, I walked up there, standing next to the girl. Then, out of the car…  
I couldn't believe my eyes. Mom…and Dad. Both of them. Right there in front of me. They were smiling. I couldn't believe it. My mother reached and stroked my hair, without actually touching my head. I was so shocked, I bet I looked insane. I looked over at the girl, she was hugging somebody in the shadows who I couldn't see. All of a sudden, my parent's face turned sad, then horrified. My mom put a hand over her mouth. My dad put his arm around her protectively, looking just as mortified. I looked confused. I wanted to ask them what was wrong. I hadn't seen them in so long…so long…I noticed the girl was just as shocked. Then, my parents and the shadow in front of the girl disappeared. She fell to the ground in complete brokenness and look terrified too. Her eyes were upset and tear-filled. I looked and saw one big shadow. It resembled a cloak. My happy memories, the girl's too, faded. The shadow had turned…  
D'Ablo.  
D'Ablo? He was causing the suffering? The suffering of both me and the girl. I looked over to warn her, but she was gone. Terrified more, I turned back, D'Ablo sniggering. Another breeze blew, and I could hear a scream. It was quiet, but definitely a scream. It resembled the sobbing…  
D'Ablo didn't give me much chance to recover or think Before he had lunged toward me and had me pinned to the ground, his large fangs protruding from his mouth, and a silver, gleaming object held to my neck, while his mouth was near my throat. I knew that if this wasn't a dream, a horrific, cruel dream, I would be able to scream. I could feel pain. Then I heard D'Ablo say something, it was quiet, muffled. I focused in to listen, like my life wasn't on the line. He spoke again.  
"Wake up, Vlad."  
I didn't get the sense of his words.  
"Vlad, wake up. Now." He hissed.  
Everything started fading to black....  
"Vlaaaad..." I heard Henry's nagging voice, now. I opened my eyes, and forgot most of the dream as soon as my eyes were open._

"Good. you're up. I was gonna pour water on you soon..." Henry threatened. Vlad looked at Henry with a look of confusion, fear, and the oh-crap-it's-morning look. Henry couldn't comprehend. "It was a joke, I swear." He defended, hands held up. Vlad shook his head, as if that would knock some sense into him. "Anyway, dude," Henry smacked Vlad's arm lightly. "Nelly is gonna be home soon, to take up to the amusement park. You know, the one that Angela is letting us go to?" He stood back up. "I'm just warning you before Nelly does. Vlad nodded and muttered a quick "That sounds fair." The things he couldn't get out of his mind? The girl's broken stare, along with her sobs and the scream, his parent's horrified faces, and D'Ablo, pinning him to the cold hard ground, seconds before his death.

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**Disclaimer: I do not own Vladimir Tod or any characters associated with the story. All rights belong to Heather Brewer.**


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